Safety and efficacy of low-temperature RA-flush solution in patients with moderate-to-severe calcified lesions

Wei You1, Xiang-Qi Wu1, Zhi-Ming Wu1

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, Nanjing City, 210006, Jiangsu Province, China.

Scientific Reports
|May 25, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Using a low-temperature flush solution during rotational atherectomy (RA) significantly reduces myocardial injury and complications like slow-flow or coronary spasm compared to room-temperature solutions. This finding improves the safety of RA for treating calcified lesions.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Rotational atherectomy (RA) is a key treatment for calcified coronary lesions.
  • RA-related myocardial injury remains a significant concern, impacting patient outcomes.
  • Current RA protocols lack standardized methods to mitigate this risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of using a low-temperature versus room-temperature flush solution during RA.
  • To determine if temperature modification of the RA-flush solution can reduce myocardial injury and related complications.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 132 patients with moderate-to-severe calcified lesions undergoing RA.
  • Patients were assigned to receive either a low-temperature or room-temperature RA-flush solution.
  • Myocardial injury was assessed by monitoring cardiac biomarkers (cTnI, CK-MB) post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Main Results:

  • The low-temperature group showed significantly lower rates of myocardial injury (elevated cTnI and CK-MB) compared to the room-temperature group.
  • Incidence of RA-related transient slow/no flow and coronary spasm was significantly reduced in the low-temperature group.
  • No significant difference in RA-related myocardial infarction (MI) was observed between the groups.

Conclusions:

  • Low-temperature RA-flush solution is associated with reduced RA-related myocardial injury.
  • This approach offers a potential strategy to enhance the safety of rotational atherectomy.
  • Further research may explore optimizing temperature parameters for RA procedures.